Hinge



March 13, 1934. J. T. ATWOOD HINGE Filed April 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet March 1 1934- J. T. ATWOOD HINGE Filed April 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 26 Claims.

This invention relates to hinges for the doors of motor vehicles, and is particularly concerned with a novel hinge and method of mounting the same with a view to avoiding any projection of the hinge from the body and keeping the hinge completely concealed.

I am aware of the types of concealed hinges in which the members carrying the door were movable into and out of recesses in the pillar made large enough to accommodate these specially formed members. Howevensuch hinges are not suitable for the present day motor car because there is either not suflicient room in the door pillars in certain designs, or it is impracticalto make such provision on pillars of steel construction, and too many difficulties in the matter of assembling would be entailed. The principal object of my invention is to provide a hinge which, in its preferred form, has straight inner and outer members and which is well adaptedto use on bodies and doors of pressed steel construction, being arranged to be fastened directly to the wall of the pillar and door frame for a rigid mounting, besides giving thedesired flush exterior at the hinge and complete concealment.

Other objects of the invention are concerned with novel methods of fastening the hinge members and providing ornamental coveringfor the Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the door opened;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3'3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the concealed hinge andmethod of mounting the same;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing a modified or alternative fastening for the inner hinge member of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a dilferent treatment of the joint lineat the door and ornamentation of the hinge covers;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section in a vertical plane on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; I

Figs. 8 .and 9 are sectional details along the 7 lines of Fig. 6 but showing modified or alternative constructions; Fig. 10 is a sectional detail along the lines of Fig. 7 showing tion; v Figs. 11-13 are views similar to Fig. 10 showing still further modifications, and

Fig. 14 is a detail along the lines of Figs. 1 and 5 showing a further modification of the hinge covering.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring first to Figs. 1-3, 10 indicates a portion of an automobile body on whicha door 11 is hinged. The hinges provided in accordance with my invention are in concealment at the points 12 and 13 where the jogs occur in the-joint line 14. In other words, the hinges, which appear in Fig. 2 at 15 and 16, do not project from the body, so that the exterior of the body is flush, which is something particularly desirable in streamlined designs.

As clearly appears in Fig. 3, each hinge is of the ordinary butt type and comprises an inner memher 1'? and outer member 13 having knuckles pivotally connected by a pintle 19. The pillar 20 of the body 10 has a pressed-in portion 21 deep enough to accommodate the hinge entirely behind the plane of the outside of-the body and door, so that the door panel 22 whose projection 23 fits in the pressed-in portion 21 to cover the hinge therein, comes flush with the body panel 24, in keeping with the spirit of this design. The inner member 17 is fastened to the pillar 20 in the bottom of the pressed-in portion 21, as by screws 25, .which gives an extremely rigid mounting. It will be noticed that the inner member is relatively short and that the outer member is elongated and extends beyond the end of the inner member into a pressed-in portion 26 of the door frame. Screws 27 serve to fasten the outer member 18 to a modified or alternative construcreinforcing members 28 and 29 "are welded or otherwise ..uitably secured on the inside of the pillar and door frame, respectively, and the screws 25 and 2,7 are passed through holes inthe se members and through holes the pillar and door frame and threaded directly in holes in the inner and outerhinge members 17 and 18, respectively. This makes a very rigid hinge mounting and one which" eliminates any likelihood of the door becoming wobbly. It also has'the advantage that .the outer'hinge member 18 can be fastened to the door frame without disturbing the door panel 22 or necessitating application of the hinge to the door before the panel is in place. The screws 25 and 27, are, of course,- put in place before the interior finish is applied, and it is not considered the door frame in the manner shown. Angular of any consequence to have to loosen enough of the interior finish at the hinges to 'get at the screws for unfastening the door should that ever become necessary. However, even that, slight difficulty is avoided by fastening the inner hinge member as shown in Fig. 4 in which the member 17 is secured by screws entered through holes in the member 1'7 and threaded in the reinforcing member 28'. In'that way the door can be unfastened readily from the outside.

The fact that the pintles 19 of the two hinges are on an axis indicated by the dot and dash line the door.

in Fig. 2, inside the bulge of the body, to the extent indicated by the dimension a makes it necessary to press in a portion 30 in the edge of the door for clearance in the opening and closing of This is thought to be clear from observation of Fig. 3.

The foregoing'description should suflice to show that the present invention provides an extremely practical as well as economical automobile door hinge and mounting therefor. Since the hinge itself is completely covered up, it requires no finishing whatever and can be furnished at very low cost as compared with exposed hinges. Furthermore, the general appearance of thecar is greatly improved by virtue of the concealment of the hinges and the flush exterior going with it. Then,

too, considering the fact that the greatest strains are imposed on the hinges in the running of the car, the present invention offers greater rigidity for the door because of the fact that the hinges are disposed in the plane of the door, as distinguished from the old practice of having them in a plane at right angles to the door. Obviously there are no complications involved in the assembling nor in the construction of the pressed steel door and bod and these parts are not weakened as a result of what little special forming is necessitated. The simplicity-of the construction comes from the fact that despite the' concealment of the hinge, the members thereof are both fastened to outside surfaces of the pillar and door and the fastening of these members "is, therefore; no more complicated than with the fr m the spirit of my invention. That is to say,

while 10 designates the body andll the door, the partdesignated 10 might be. considered therdoor and the part 11 the body, it being immaterial which part of the assembly shown is swung relative to the other. The claims must be construed accordingly.

Referring to Figs..5, 6 and '7, I have shown how the jogs in the joint line 14 may be'made less noticeable by having grooves 31 made in the body panel 22' in alignment with the joint line 14 and extending across the inner end of the projections 23' covering the hinges. The outer member 18' of each hinge will also have an offset formed therein as shown at 32 in Fig. 6 to accommodate the pressed-in portion 33 of the panel defining the outer hinge. member 18 as shown at 3'7 in Fig. 11, or fastened by one or more screws 38 in the manner shown in Fig. 12. The screw or screws 38 indicated in Fig. 12 will, of course, be concealed, being entered from the inside of the hinge member, but exposed screws might be used as shown at 39 in Fig. 13 threaded in place from the outside.

If desired, a separate plate 23a may be provided to cover that portion of the outer hinge member 18'- which projects from the edge of the door (see Fig. 9). In that event, the edge of the door panel can be bent upon itself as appears at 40 flush with the joint line 14. The plate- 23 a may, of course be fastened in any one of the ways indicated in Figs. 11-13.

Instead of having a small plate to cover just a small portion of the hinge, it should, of course, be understood that a longer plate such as that shown at 23b in Fig. 14 might be employed covering a greater portion of the length of the outer hinge member 18, if not the entire length or even more. Having this plate extend into the margin of the door gives a distinct ornamental appearance and, if desired, one, two or more screws 39 may be used to fasten the plate in .place to enhance the ornamental appearance,

although, of course, the plate might be fastened in either one of the ways illustrated in Figs. 11-13. Then, too, it should also be evident that the part 23b might be formed integral with the door panel 22 by simply forming the panel with grooves'to mark out the right-hand half of this part, which would give the impression of having a separate piece and would still result in practically the same appearance.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys -a good understanding of the objects and advantages of 'my invention; and the appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim: g

1. In combination, a car body comprising a door pillar, a door swingable on the pillar as a support, a hinge comprising inner and outer members pivotally connected together and having their pivotally connected portions extending away from the door and'disposed in a plane substantially parallel to and wholly behind the plane of the outside of the door and body, and a panel on the door having the outside thereof substantially flush with the outside of the body, and having one portion extending from the edge thereof to conceal the hinge therebehind, the inner hinge member being secured to the door pillar and the outer hinge member being secured to the door.

2. In combination, a carv body comprising a sheet metal door pillar, a door swingable on the inly outwardly bulged, the door pillar having a recess provided therein opening from the outside of the car body and from the adjacent edge of the door, and the door having a registering recess, a butt hinge comprising straight inner and outer members pivotally connected together and diposed in said recess in a substantially vertical plane and so that the outer member is behind the plane of the outside of the car body and door, the inner member being relatively short and secured directly to the pillar in the bottom of the recess, the outer member being relatively elongated .and extending beyond the inner member and attached to the door in the recess provided therein, and a door panel bulged outwardly relative to the aforesaid vertical plane of the hinge members and covering the outside of the door and the attaching portion of the outer hinge member in a plane substantially flush with the outside of the car body, said panel having an edge portion extending therefrom in the same plane and overlying the remainder of the outer hinge member, so as to completely concel the hinge.

4. In a structure of the class described, a car body comprising a door pillar portion for hingedly supporting a door, a door arranged next to the pillar with the outside face thereof bulged and substantially flush with the correspondingly bulged outside of the car'body, a butt type hinge disposed substantially parallel with but behind the plane of theoutside of ,the car body and door with the pivotpintle thereof spaced from the edge of the door for the purpose described and with the inner member thereof suitably secured to the body and the outer member thereof suitably secured to the door, and means for covering and concealing that portion of the outer hinge member which extends from the edge of the door, the covering means being flush with the outside of the car body and door in the closed position of the latter.

5. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that is outwardlybulged, a door portion that is" correspondingly bulged, a hinge comprising pivotally connected inner and outer members disposed substantially parallel to but wholly behind the plane of the outside of the door and body portions, one of said members being fastened to the body portion and the other member to the door portion, and means serving to conceal the outer hinge member so that the hinge is not visible from the outside when the door is closed.

6. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that isoutwardly bulged, a door portion that is correspondingly bulged, a hinge comprising pivotally connectedinner and outermembers disposed substantially parallel to but wholly behind the plane of the outside of the door and body portions, one of said members being fastened to the body portion and the other member to the door portion, a panel on the body portion and a panel on the door portion, and a hinge cover constituting a projection from the edge of one of said panels extendingover the outer hinge member and serving to conceal the hinge.

'7. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that is-outwardly bulged, a door portion that is correspondingly bulged, a

hinge comprising straight inner and outer members pivotally connected and arranged when closed to lie substantially parallel to and immediately behind the plane of the outside of the door and body portions with the inner member abutting an outside surface of the one portion and the outer member abutting an outside surface or the other portion, means for fastening the hinge members to their respective portions, and means on that portion to which the outer hinge member is secured serving to conceal said member from view from outside the automobile.

8. In an automobile construction, a body portion, a door portion, and a hinge for hingedly hinge comprising straight inner and outer members pivotally connected and arranged when closed to lie substantially parallel to and behind the plane of the outside of the door and body portions with the inner member abutting an outside surface of the one portion and the outer member abutting the outside surface of the other portion, means for fastening the inner member to its associated portion, means for fastening the outer member-to the other portion from the inside of the latter, and means on the latter portion serving to conceal the outer hinge member from view from outside the automobile.

10. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that is outwardly bulged, a. door portion that is correspondingly bulged, a hinge comprising straight inner and outer members pivotally connected and arranged when closed to lie substantially parallel to and behind the plane of the outside of the door and body portions with the inner member abutting an outside surface of the one portion and the outer member abutting the outside surface of the other portion. both of said members having screw threaded openings, screws or the like for fastening said members to their respective portions from the inside of the latter, and means on that A portion to which the outer hinge member is secured serving to conceal said member from view from outside the automobile.

' 11. In an automobile construction, the combination of a sheet metal body portion, a sheet metal door portion. a hinge comprising pivotally connected inneran'd outer members disposed substantially parallel to and in the plane of the door and body portions when the door is closed, the inner member abutting an outside surface of one of said portions, the outer member abutting an'outside surface of the other portion, reinforcing members abutting the inside surfaces of said portions behind and substantially parallel to the hinge members, and means passing through the hinge members and reinforcing members for fastening the hinge members to the door and body portions.

12. A' construction as set forth in claim 11 in which at least the outer hinge member has screw threaded holes provided therein in register with holes provided in the associated reinforcing member, the fastening means comprising screws or the like threaded in said hinge member from the inside of the portion on which the hinge member is mounted.

13. A construction as set forth in claim 11 in which at least the outer hinge member-has screw threaded holes provided therein in register with holes provided in the associated reinforcing member, the fastening means comprising screws or the like threaded in said hinge member from the inside of the portion on which the hinge member is mounted, the structure including a panel on the outside of said portion together with a cover for the hinge member for concealment of the hinge when the door is closed.

14. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion, a door portion ar ranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the body portion, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the door on the body, said hinges each comprising pivotally connected inner and outer members both disposed in the plane of the door and body portions when the door is closed and having the inner member fastened to the one portion and the outer member to the other portion, outside panels on the door and body portions correspondingly outwardly bulged but defining a substantially straight.

joint line in a transverse vertical plane, the outer hinge members reaching to one side of the joint line, and covers for those portions of the outer hinge members disposed to one side of the joint line, whereby the hinges are fully concealed when the door is closed. v

15. A construction as set forth in claim 14, wherein the covers are disposed substantially flush with the adjacent panels and wherein the junction between the covers and the one panel are conformed to simulate the. appearance of the joint line, whereby to have an uninterrupted joint line from top to bottom of the door and body portions.

16. In an automobile construction, the combination of an outwardly budged body portion, a

correspondingly outwardly bulged door portion arranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the body portion, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the door on the body,

said hinges each comprising pivotally connected and body portionsare outwardly bulged, the outside of the door and body portionsmeeting in a substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, the inner hinge members being fastened to the one portion and the outer hinge members to the other portion, each outer hinge member projecting from the edge of theiassociated portion to form jogs in the joint line, and

, covers"for the projecting portions of the. outer hinge members for concealment of the hinges when the door. is'closed, said ,covers being inclined with respect to the substantially vertical plane of the hinge members so-as to lie substantially in the plane of the bulge of the door and body portions to produce a flush exterior.

17, In an automobile construction, the com bination 'of a body portion that is outwardly bulged, a door portion that is correspondingly bulged arranged to swing on a substantially ver tical axis relative to the body portion,the meeting edges of the door and body portions defining a substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the door on the body, each hinge comprising. a pintle disposed in the plane of the door and body portions in laterally spaced relation to the joint line, and inner and outer hinge members pivotally connected by the pintle and both extending therefrom toward the joint line in'substantially parallel relationship to one another in the plane of the doorand body portions, the inner hinge member terminating at the joint line and fastened to one of said door and body portions and the outer hinge member extending beyond the-joint line and fastened to the other of said portions, and means for concealing the hinges in the closed position of the door.

18. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that is outwardly bulged, a door portion that is correspondingly bulged arranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the body portion, the meeting edges of the door and body portions defining a substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the door on the body, each hinge comprising a pintle laterally spaced with respect to the joint line and disposed next to the plane of the outside of the door and body portions, and inner and outer hinge members pivotally connected together by said pintle, said members extending from said pintle toward the joint line, the inner member being secured to the adjacent one of the door and body portions and the outer member being straight and disposed parallel to the plane of the door and body portions and extending beyond the joint line and secured to the other portion.

19. In an automobile construction, the combination of a body portion that is outwardly bulged, a door portion that is correspondingly bulged arranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the bodyportion, the meeting edges of the doorand body portions defining a substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, a plurality of hinges forhingedly supporting the door on the body, each hinge comprising a pintle laterally spaced with respect to the joint line next to the plane of the outside of the door and body portions, and inner'and outer hinge members pivotally connected together by said pintle, said members extending from said pintle toward the'joint line, the inner member being secured to the adjacent one of the door and body portions and the outer member being straight and disposed parallel tothe plane of the door and body portions and extendingbeyond the joint line and secured to the other portion, and cover means for the outer hinge member.

20 In combination, a body portion,-a door portion, said door and body portions having their outside surfaces substantially flush with one another and correspondingly outwardly bulged, the meeting edges defining a straight joint'line in a transverse vertical plane, and hinges for hingedly mounting the door portion on the body portion to swing on a substantially vertical axis, each of said hinges comprising an inner and an outer hinge member, one of which is fastened to the body and the other to the door portion,

the members having their pivotally connected loo portions reaching laterally away from the joint line a predetermined distance to so locate the hinge axis, and the opposed lateral faces of the door and body portions being so conformed with respect to one another, that the outwardly curved edges of the door and body portions clear one another in the swinging of the door.

21. In combination, a body portion,'a door por- 7 tion, said door and body portions having their outside surfaces substantially flush with one another and correspondingly outwardly bulged, the meeting edges defining a straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, and hinges for hingedly mounting the door portion on the body portion to swing on a substantially vertical axis, each of said hinges comprising an inner and an outer hinge member, one of which is fastened to the body and the other to the door portion, the members having their pivotally connected portions reaching laterally away from the joint line a predetermined distance to so locate the hinge axis, and the lateral face of that one of the door and body portions disposed on the opposite side of the joint line from the hinge'axis being so rec'essed lengthwise inwardly from the outwardly curved edge of said portion, that the outwardly curved edges of the door and body portions clear one another in the swinging of the door.

22. A structure as set forth in claim 20 including cover means overlying the outside face of the ,outer hinge members for concealment of the hinges from view in the closed position of the door.

23. A structure as set forth in claim 20 includ- Y ing cover means concealing the hinges and dispillar with the outside face thereof substantially flush withthe outside of the car body, a butt type hinge disposed substantially parallel with but behind the -plane of the outside of the car body and door with the pivot pintle thereof spaced from the edge of the door and with the inner member thereof suitably secured to the body and the outer member thereof suitably secured to the door, and means for covering and concealing that portion of'the outer hinge member which extends from the edge of the door.

25. In an automobile construction, the combination of an outwardly bulged body portion, a

correspondingly outwardly bulged door portion arranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the body portion, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the'door on the body, said hinges each comprising pivotally connected inner and outer members, at least the outer member being disposed with its pivotally con nected portion in the plane of the door and body portions when the door is closed, more specifically, in a substantially vertical plane parallel to the aforesaid vertical axis with respect to which the door and body portions are outwardly bulged, the outside of the door and body portions meeting in a substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, the inner hinge members being fastened to the one portion and the outer hinge members to the other portion, each outer hinge member projecting from the edge of the associated portion to form jogs in the joint line, and the outside of the projecting portion of each outer hinge member beinginclined with respect to the vertical plane of the hinge members so as to lie substantially in the plane of the bulge of the door and body portions for a substantially flush exterior.

26. In an automobile construction, the combination of an outwardly bulged body portion, a correspondingly outwardly bulged door portion arranged to swing on a substantially vertical axis relative to the body. portion, a plurality of hinges for hingedly supporting the door on the body, said hinges each comprising pivotally connected inner and outer members, at least the outer member being disposed with its pivotally connected portion in the plane of the door and body portions when the door is closed, more specifically, in a substantially vertical plane parallel to the aforesaid vertical axis with respectto which the door and body portions are outwardly bulged, the outside of the door and body portions meeting ina substantially straight joint line in a transverse vertical plane, the inner hinge members-beingfaste'ned to the one portion and the outer hinge members to the other portion, each outer hinge member projecting from the edge of the associated portion to form jogs in the joint line, and covers for the projecting portions of the outer hinge members for concealment of the hinges when the door is closed, said covers having at least the marginaledges thereof in the plane of the bulge of the door and body portions.

JAMES "r.v A'rwoon. 

